Whiffletree-guard



W. I. MARSH. Whiffletrev-Guard:

PatentedJan. 20,1880.

. INVBNTOR:

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N. PETERS, FHOTD-LITHOGRAPHER. WA HIN T 0 0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VASHINGTON IRVING MARSH, OF NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN.

WHlFFLETREE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,745, dated January20, 1880.

Application filrd July 30, 1879 To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, WASHINGTON I. MARsH, of Northville, in the county of Wayne andState of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Whiffletree-Guard,of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a plan, showing the guard in place. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation on line a: m, Fig. 1, showing the manner of attachment to thetrace. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line [I] 3 Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a device .for preventing theends of the whiftletree from catching upon OlISlZI'lklllg against anyobjects.

The invention consists of a plate of wood or metal or other suitablematerial, attached to the trace of a harness just in front of thecockeye, and extending rearward past the hook and end of thewhiffletree. v

In the drawings, A represents the plate or guard, one end of which isformed into aloop, as shown at a. Bis the tongue of the guard,projecting at a right angle from it, and provided with holes 0, throughwhich a pin, 0, may be inserted.

G is the trace, to which is attached the cockeye D, into which hooks thehook E of the whiffletree F.

The guard is attached by passing the trace through the loop a, and byinserting the tongue B through the cockeye andholding it there by theinsertion of the pin 0 through one of the holes 0, as shown. This is asimple and effective way of attaching the device; but I do not proposeto confine myself to this method, because other methods may be found tobe sufficiently effective. v

It is well known that trees, fences, posts,

, &c., on public roads are often defaced and injured by the end of awhiffletree striking against them, and in agricultural pursuits thefruit-trees, fences, standing corn and cotton, hedges, 850., areespecially exposed to such injury, and that harm and accident totheharness or vehicle not unfrequently occur from the catching of thewhitflctree end in some object. All these dangers are avoided by thisguard, which holds the whiffletree in place and restricts its lateralswing, While it prevents the entanglement of any object with it.

I am aware that a guard has been used which consists in passing the endof the trace around the end of the whiffletree; but this requires alengthening of the traces and'a whiffletree especially provided for theattachment, and the bending of the trace around the end of thewhiffletree gives it an unsightly appearance, makes it awkward tohandle, and causes it to break and wear very rapidly.

The guard herein shown and described may be readily applied to any traceand used with any whiffletree, and will not throw either of them out ofshape or position nor lessen their endurance.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patenta 1. The withindescribed Whiffletreeguard A,provided with loop c and tongue 13, substantially as and for the pnr'iose described.

2. The combination of guard A, trace 0, cockeye D, hook E, andwhiffletiee F, substantially as herein shown, and for the purposedescribed.

WASHINGTON IRVING MARSH.

J AS. M. HOBART.

